Dark Star missing from now on.

[severnside gull]

From what I understand Dark Star weren't prepared to work the way the club asked them to due to the fact they thought it would affect quality.

Clearly Harveys don't care and it's all about sales for them which shows in the quality of their product served up in the stands.

Shame as I haven't had a bad pint of nobhead when it's been on. Certainly can't say the same about Harveys which is why I haven't had a pint of it for about a year.

Right decision from Dark Star IMO.

Excellant post. My drinking days are over sadly as I have to drive but it is great to see a brewer maintainung the integrity of the product which is simply not suited to being delivered in an arena environment. To me it looks like both the brewer and the club have got it right here

 

[Brovion]

Just to add that Harvey's best is a ordinary bog standard brew that although did well at the Nationals a few years back is just that a best.Brewing has moved on and all the new micro breweries have raised the bar leaving old dogs like Harveys a mile behind. It served its purpose during the bad old days but has nothing new or innovative to offer people who have sampled better. The reason they will have the monopoly at the Amex has nothing to do with their quality. Oh well I,ll stay in the Albert or the Evening Star for that extra pint. I know Harvey's do other beers but they are all average at best. When they can make a beer like APA , Sussex Stout, the Original or any of DS's seasonal s give me a shout.

It's a funny old thing, taste, isn't it? I think 90% of what Dark Star produce is rubbish. You say brewing has 'moved on' and I agree - but not for the better. All these little breweries all fall over themselves to offer weird and wonderful faddy new beers with weird and wonderful faddy new ingredients. To me a lot, not all, but a lot of Dark Star's output tastes too sweet and fruity: the beer version of alcopops. Thank God for traditionalists like Harveys who don't feel a constant need to bombard us with new and exciting beers brewed in new and exciting ways.

 

[Titus]

From what I understand Dark Star weren't prepared to work the way the club asked them to due to the fact they thought it would affect quality.
.

Then you understand very little, I have had dealings with Dark Star at their current brewery and their former one at Ansty. They are very badly run and were just incapable of getting their arses into gear to fulfill the order.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

I think its upsetting that Dark Star has not worked out. How close were they to making a profit, one of the things I love about our club is that the fans got real ale in house and we were told last year it sold in bucket loads.

As someone else mentioned earlier like me they just don't like Hophead, its a real marmite beer. I drink the Harveys and like other Dark Star brews, is this more down to the two parties club and brewery not being clever enough in the sales/availability/range and variety of product.

All seems to have disappeared in a whimper.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

When I tried to buy my post-match pint of Harvey's in Dick's yesterday, both barrels had run out (as had the barrel of Everard's on the counter). All that was available was Hophead.

OK, but not quite what I was hoping for.

 

[Questions]

When I tried to buy my post-match pint of Harvey's in Dick's yesterday, both barrels had run out (as had the barrel of Everard's on the counter). All that was available was Hophead.

OK, but not quite what I was hoping for.

You,re from the Lewes area.........it'll take time for you.

 

[Titus]

You,re from the Lewes area.........it'll take time for you.

But will you ever get used to a keyboard?

 

[Questions]

It's a funny old thing, taste, isn't it? I think 90% of what Dark Star produce is rubbish. You say brewing has 'moved on' and I agree - but not for the better. All these little breweries all fall over themselves to offer weird and wonderful faddy new beers with weird and wonderful faddy new ingredients. To me a lot, not all, but a lot of Dark Star's output tastes too sweet and fruity: the beer version of alcopops. Thank God for traditionalists like Harveys who don't feel a constant need to bombard us with new and exciting beers brewed in new and exciting ways.

I bet the traditional mild drinkers said that when the new bloody bitter and IPA styled beers arrived on the scene. Beer styles are changing all the time thank God. Maybe we should go back to the Red Barrel, Trophy and Tankard days Brovian.
I'll grant you that Dark Stars like their hops though.

 

[Questions]

But will you ever get used to a keyboard?

Sorry I've been whooshed there son.

 

[Notters]

From what I understand Dark Star weren't prepared to work the way the club asked them to due to the fact they thought it would affect quality.

Clearly Harveys don't care and it's all about sales for them which shows in the quality of their product served up in the stands.

Shame as I haven't had a bad pint of nobhead when it's been on. Certainly can't say the same about Harveys which is why I haven't had a pint of it for about a year.

Right decision from Dark Star IMO.

This is utter rubbish for three reasons.

Firstly Harveys are extremely anal about the quality of this drink. They complain if people don't use the right line cleaner, they train bar staff as to what the beer should look and taste like and they actually stop supplying pubs that don't keep it properly.

The beer provided by Harvey's for the amex is fresh bright beer.

Thirdly, and most importantly, the quality of the Harvey's at the amex is second to none. I've had one poor pint out of perhaps 50 since we've been there and that was because I arrived very early and they'd clearly pulled it through a few hours before so it was slightly off.

 

[Notters]

Excellant post. My drinking days are over sadly as I have to drive but it is great to see a brewer maintainung the integrity of the product which is simply not suited to being delivered in an arena environment. To me it looks like both the brewer and the club have got it right here

In what way is it not suited? It just needs to be tapped at the brewery to make a bright beer. Presumably there is slightly more cost to this, hence dark star haven't been so cooperative. Dark star is somewhat cheaper than Harvey's, I understand.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Proper beer SHOULD be affected by the quality of its keeping and serving. To say otherwise is the equivalent of saying that the quality of food isn't affected by cooking.

 

[dougdeep]

I love the way the so called experts describe one beer as superb and another as shit. I've been drinking bitter for more than 40 years and can count the number of bad pints I've had on the fingers of one hand. There seem to be far too many biased people on here who probably couldn't tell one from the other if blindfolded.

 

[Bry Nylon]

I love the way the so called experts describe one beer as superb and another as shit. I've been drinking bitter for more than 40 years and can count the number of bad pints I've had on the fingers of one hand. There seem to be far too many biased people on here who probably couldn't tell one from the other if blindfolded.

So you've had 6 bad pints then Doug?

 

[Bladders]

I prefer Darkstar beers to Harveys but the Harveys served at the Amex is always of good quality. I find both hophead and best are very enjoyable when at the game though i do drink alot more harveys due to the ecard facility.

 

[CheeseRolls]

I don't get these Harveys v Dark Star threads.

We have two World Class breweries on our door step. Harveys represent a fine English tradition and Dark Star represent the influence that the US brewing revolution has had on the world of beer, but even then Dark Star have some great examples of traditional English ales and Harveys have some fine modern styles within their seasonal beer range.

For me I prefer Sussex Best at the Amex, but will happily drink the odd pint of Hophead. I personally think that Hophead is more of a summer beer. That combined with the consistency and availability of Sussex Best, has swung it for me.

Incidentally I rarely drink either beer in one of their tied houses, both breweries produce such a wonderful range of beers, the choice is always fantastic.

There are also at least another half dozen excellent breweries in Sussex, just relax and enjoy folks this is a golden age for beer.

 

[Notters]

Proper beer SHOULD be affected by the quality of its keeping and serving. To say otherwise is the equivalent of saying that the quality of food isn't affected by cooking.

Exactly. That's what defines real ale, is it not? That it's a live, temperamental and precious product.

 

[Arthur]

Then you understand very little, I have had dealings with Dark Star at their current brewery and their former one at Ansty. They are very badly run and were just incapable of getting their arses into gear to fulfill the order.

Only going on what I've been told.

Firstly Harveys are extremely anal about the quality of this drink. They complain if people don't use the right line cleaner, they train bar staff as to what the beer should look and taste like and they actually stop supplying pubs that don't keep it properly.

Utter tosh! Go in any pub in Sussex and there is a good chance their regular best bitter will be Harveys Best. They will literally sell it to who ever wants it regardless of how it's kept or served up. Are you trying to tell me you've never had a bad pint of Harveys?

The beer provided by Harvey's for the amex is fresh bright beer.

And? So bright beer can't be shit?

Thirdly, and most importantly, the quality of the Harvey's at the amex is second to none. I've had one poor pint out of perhaps 50 since we've been there and that was because I arrived very early and they'd clearly pulled it through a few hours before so it was slightly off.

Well I must have been unlucky then as I drank it at the start of last season and would say probably 40% of the pints I had were shit. One was so bad I left half of it. Another one gave 3 of us gut rot and ruined the second half. It was after that I gave up on it. It may well have got better since then I do not know. I very much doubt it though as it's not the right environment for it.

 

[Questions]

I don't get these Harveys v Dark Star threads.





Incidentally I rarely drink either beer in one of their tied houses.
There are also at least another half dozen excellent breweries in Sussex, just relax and enjoy folks this is a golden age for beer.

That much is correct. Had a Devils Dyke Porter on Friday that was lovely.

I think the Harveys v DS argument is only a bit of fun generally.

 

[The Birdman]

Bring back The original King Barns brewery I preferred the Sussex ale however it been spoilt by the brewery that bought the Horsham Brewery.